Thinking about your next car? Heard a lot of talk about Hybrid but don't actually know what it means?
There are various different types of hybrid car & it can be extremely confusing if it's something you've never looked into before. Well never fear, we're here to help, so grab a coffee and let us explain what a self-charging hybrid actually is and what benefits it could bring when it comes to your next car.
With a self-charging hybrid there’s no need to worry about charging or plugging in. Self-Charging Hybrids are powered by a conventional petrol or diesel engine which works alongside a battery-powered electric motor. The electric motor supports the engine and is charged through regenerative braking - an energy recovery mechanism which uses kinetic energy lost during deceleration to charge the vehicle’s battery.
This energy is re-used to assist in restarting the petrol engine, with acceleration and to power some of the electrical features on the car.
By using the stored energy, you’ll save on fuel costs AND you'll be doing your bit for the environment by reducing your emissions which will also result in reduced road tax costs.
With a Self-Charging Hybrid you can drive it just like you would any other conventional petrol or diesel car. You'll refuel them at any normal petrol station and they require the same level of care and maintenance as any ordinary car.
You may notice a light which appears on the driver's display whilst driving - this is simply to identify that power is going from the battery to the engine.
As the hybrid system assists the engine at different times during a journey, you will notice a reduction in engine noise which will result in a smoother, quieter and more efficient drive.
Like everything there are always some negatives to consider. Having additional technology and a battery obviously brings massive benefits but it could mean the possibility of additional items to go wrong. From our experience however this is rare and despite having two powertrains (engine + battery), it doesn’t mean they’re twice as likely to breakdown in fact there’s actually less wear and tear on the engine.
At higher speeds, and with motorway driving, a Self-Charging Hybrid will have less opportunity to regenerate power so will be more reliant on the engine which for longer periods could outweigh some of the economical benefits but other than that there's really no difference to a traditional petrol or diesel car.
If you want to know more about the servicing and maintenance of our self-charging range then our aftersales team would be more than happy to chat to you. You can find contact details for all of our dealerships here
There is still very mixed opinion about electric cars and it's understandable that people are apprehensive after only ever having driven traditional petrol and diesel cars. Hybrids we feel offer the ideal solution especially whilst there is still a lack of charging points and infrastructure throughout the UK to support electric cars.
As we've already shown, hybrids offer reduced fuel costs, are better for the environment and relieve any worry of where and when you will next need to charge.
Electric cars are continually evolving with massive improvements in technology and increasing mileage ranges. Suzuki, Nissan and Subaru are all planning for the future with new models constantly in design and build. For details of our current electric cars click here or contact a member of our sales team at your local dealership for more details